Chapter 88

In this night, as he slowly walked between the buildings of Mahora Academy, Levi couldn't help but sigh, feeling how much he had recently come to resemble the yugao flowers quietly blooming in the distance, visible only by the occasional lazy moon peeking through the clouds.

During the day, he spent most of his time resting and sleeping, except for classes. Though this was often the case, ever since the appearance of the girl beside him, he had to run around even at night.

The blonde girl in the black combat suit had once been known as "Black Cat." Black Cat and Kitty (Kitty)? They really do match, both creatures that don't sleep at night. Levi secretly glanced at Eve, who was walking beside him.

"Hey, where are you going?"

Levi stopped, seeing that Eve was still walking aimlessly ahead, and couldn't help but call out to her with a chuckle.

"That way is the student dormitory. It's better to go to sleep or go home."

After saying this, Levi pointed to a small, unassuming bungalow on the left.

"We're here."

While Eve turned back, Levi pressed the doorbell of the bungalow. Soon, the intercom buzzed to life.

"Is it Mr. Levi? Chao is checking the equipment; she told you to come in."

With a click, the wooden door, which looked ordinary and had nothing to do with a secret laboratory, opened. At least the electronic control equipment made it a bit different from the student dormitory.

"Let's go."

Levi took a few steps forward but didn't hear any footsteps behind him. He turned around curiously to see Eve standing there with her head down.

"What's wrong?"

"Toré."

"Hmm?"

Even when Levi walked back to her, the girl kept her head down, her expression hidden, making him wonder what she was thinking.

"Maybe we should go back?"

Levi probed her thoughts, which was also a notion that had been troubling him.

Chao Lingshen was undoubtedly a genius to be admired, and the technology she possessed was undoubtedly the most advanced and sophisticated that Levi had ever seen. While scientists around the world were still struggling to make simple humanoid robots perform basic actions, Chachamaru was already attending elementary school at Mahora, and no one outside the involved parties had discovered her robotic identity.

To list all the incredible technologies Chao Lingshen mastered would fill fifty pages of manuscript. She was a girl who repeatedly broke others' scientific common sense, and sometimes Levi really wondered if she came from another planet or a distant future.

Despite Chao Lingshen's incredible abilities, Levi still couldn't feel at ease entrusting Eve to her.

Some might say this was the ignorance of a layman. Levi was indeed a layman, lacking even a basic concept of money beyond combat. If not for Yuffie being trapped at Mahora, Levi might have spent his entire life in a remote castle in the mountains. To him, science was more mysterious than magic. So at Mahora, he could only teach language.

Not feeling at ease was just that. Simple people don't have many thoughts, and although Levi was once a combat expert, in non-professional areas, he was still very simple. In his mind, whether Eve could help in the Holy Grail War was not important; ensuring her safety was the priority.

But Eve was a living girl, and she had no relationship with him beyond friendship. Ah, and the Servant and Master contract, but the Command Spells didn't have a deep, ingrained meaning for him as a temporary participant who wasn't a mage.

No matter what Levi thought, the decision was ultimately Eve's. Since the girl seemed hesitant, he immediately offered his suggestion.

"No."

Eve looked up, her golden bangs gently lifting, and her deep eyes seemed to understand Levi's concerns.

"You go back first; I'll stay here."

"This..."

Levi didn't expect Eve to make such a decision. Wasn't it common sense to have a trusted introducer accompany someone to a strange place for treatment? Even if he entrusted Eve to Chao Lingshen, he never thought of leaving her alone. Even if he couldn't help, he had to stay to support the helpless girl in a strange world.

"Don't worry."

Before Levi could object, Eve spoke first.

"Chao Lingshen explained the nanomachine adjustment method, which is the same principle as the treatment I received before. There won't be any problems."

Such a vague statement couldn't reassure Levi. But Eve seemed to have some reservations, and no matter what he said, she insisted on seeing Chao Lingshen alone. Faced with the girl's stubbornness, Levi was at a loss. He couldn't knock her out and carry her in, could he? Even if he dared to knock her out, he would take her home. After talking himself hoarse, Levi regretted telling her that Chao Lingshen could be trusted. If he had described Chao as a deranged mad scientist, would there be so much trouble?

"Ah."

Everyone wishes for a regret pill, but no one has ever truly found one. Levi had said all the reasons he could, but Eve still wanted him to go back. What more could he do at this point? Levi sighed deeply, more times this week than in the entire previous year. Just for this, he was determined to end the Holy Grail War as soon as possible.

"Alright, since you insist. But remember to call me as soon as the treatment is over."

Eve, who had been summoned as an Assassin, was granted the ability by the Holy Grail to communicate with her Master through Command Spells. But after learning this, Rin Tohsaka said that even the most secret magical flows could be detected by someone with ill intentions. At her insistence, Levi bought Eve a cell phone out of his own pocket. Fortunately, the Space Killer had used wireless communication devices, so Levi didn't have to teach her how to use it. If it had been Kaguya Houraisan from ancient times... Kaguya was more familiar with modern entertainment than he was, so she probably wouldn't need any instruction either.

"Are you leaving now?"

"Uh-huh."

"I'm really leaving."

"Goodbye."

"Should I wait here?"

"..."

Eve looked at Levi speechlessly, her golden hair almost touching the ground, slowly floating up. Her action told Levi that if he didn't leave, she would take action.

"Haha, just kidding, just kidding, I'm leaving now."

Levi took a few steps back. Just as Eve thought he was finally leaving, he turned around again.

"Why don't you want me to go in? At least give me a reason, right?"

"I..."

This question seemed hard to answer. Eve lowered her head, her voice also dropping.

"I hate h!"

The golden hair transformed into an iron fist, raining down on Levi. The sudden attack left him no time to ponder her strange answer, and he fled like a wild cat with its tail stepped on.

After transforming back, the girl stood in place, staring at where Levi had disappeared. Only after confirming he was really gone did she relax. Then...

Puff!

It was as if steam was being released, and Eve's fair face instantly turned a bright red.

"H..."

Muttering, she recalled the treatment she had received—lying naked in a maintenance tank filled with special liquid. No normal girl could allow a man to see such a scene, even if she was a feared assassin.

While Eve, blushing and afraid of being seen, hesitated at the door, Chao Lingshen, who had finished adjusting the equipment in the laboratory, picked up the ringing phone on the table.

"Even if you can't cure her, you must, must ensure Eve's safety!"

The voice in the receiver was so loud it hurt the ears. Yagase Sōmi, who was reading through documents on the other side of the table, looked over curiously.

"Consider it a favor... please!"

Click! Beep~ Beep~ Beep~

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